Royal Palm Beach magistrate orders fines, sets compliance dates and reduces one historical assessment

Special Magistrate Doug Mac opened the Village of Royal Palm Beach hearing on Jan. 14 and heard evidence in a long docket of code-enforcement and fine-mitigation cases.

The hearing covered permit disputes, commercial property maintenance, disabled vehicles and requests to reduce previously assessed fines. Village staff entered prior orders, ownership verification and dated photos into the record. Magistrate Mac repeatedly directed respondents to obtain permits where work had been done without approval and to call code enforcement once corrections were complete so an inspector could file an affidavit of compliance.

Why it matters: the magistrate used a mix of continuances and daily fines to push lagging compliance while allowing limited time for permit issuance or targeted repairs. For one longstanding mitigation request, the hearing produced a major monetary reduction.

Key outcomes

- Case 21‑0519 (Luis Camejo): After contested photo evidence and testimony from the respondent’s attorney, the magistrate reduced the assessed fine in that case from $26,755 to $2,675.50, payable by April 10. Respondent exhibits were entered into the record and the magistrate noted conflicting documentary timelines before issuing the reduction.

- Belvedere Road wall (Belvedere Road LLC): Owner representative Adam Schwock presented shop drawings and a permit timeline for replacement of a failing precast wall. The magistrate granted a continuance to allow permit submission and review, set a compliance/status schedule (permit/compliance by Feb. 10 with a Feb. 11 fine-assessment hearing), and maintained the prior $50-per-day fine pending completion.

- Winn-Dixie Plaza / Los Agaves and Butterfields (commercial plaza): Staff and the property manager described partial progress (pressure-washing and painting) but remaining items — stained structures, some refrigerators/coolers, and parking-lot potholes and striping — remain open. The magistrate emphasized that striping and paving require engineering permits and directed the owner to coordinate with village engineering; staff will recheck after the new permits or repair work is submitted.

- Case 25‑0787 (Showboat Lane / Veronica Edmond): The village produced dated photos of a disabled Audi with flat tires and items inside. Edmond said the vehicle belonged to family serving overseas and she had not realized it violated code. The magistrate ordered fines to begin ($325 plus $25 per day continuing) and instructed Edmond to either remove or insure and tag the vehicle and then call the inspector to stop fines. Edmond said she would comply.

- AMG Business Enterprises LLC (exterior wall/electrical disrepair): Representative Vincent Kaffer said engineering plans and permits are in place and a contractor is scheduled; the magistrate left the $3.25 plus continuing fine in place until an inspection verifies correction.

What respondents were told to do

- Obtain any required permits, including engineering permits for parking-lot work, before starting or finishing certain repairs. The magistrate reiterated: permits must be issued before construction; once work is completed, call code enforcement for an inspection and an affidavit of compliance.

- For inoperable or untagged vehicles: make the vehicle operable and insured or have it removed to stop ongoing fines.

Representative quotes

- Veronica Edmond, on the vehicle cited as inoperable: “I didn’t know that it was a violation with the car being parked there and not running.” (Veronica Edmond)

- The magistrate explaining how to stop fines: “If you get it insured, tagged, blow up the tires, and turn it around, she’ll drive by. She’ll give you an affidavit of compliance, which is what everyone here wants, and then you’ll be fine and the fines will stop.” (Special Magistrate Doug Mac)

What happens next

Most continued commercial cases were given specific compliance dates and follow-up status/fine‑assessment hearings (common dates referenced: compliance/status by Feb. 10 with appearance/fine hearing Feb. 11). Parties were consistently told to provide affidavit-of-compliance evidence or call staff to schedule reinspections. The magistrate closed the docket and adjourned after the final cases.

Provenance This article summarizes the full hearing record for the Jan. 14, 2026 special-magistrate docket (transcript begins SEG 006, adjournment SEG 3360).